Navantia: Spanish option in the program "The Sword"?

Navantia – a well-known and internationally recognized manufacturer of modern warships can offer Poland a new type ship that meets many of the objectives of the program "The Sword".

Polish Navy The Republic of Poland is in a situation where its continued existence as an effective tool of state policy (not only the sea) is dependent on the introduction of new ships of basic classes. Without doubt, these ships should belong to the two classes, now represented in the fleet, but far from the requirements of the modern "sea of combat", i.e. frigates and submarines.

In view of the highly likely acceptance of Swedish submarines of type A17 and thus gaining time to properly select new ships in the "Orca" programme, it seems that the priority will be the introduction of ships from the "Meter" programme. This reasoning can be justified by giving up the Australian frigate acquired, which definitely ended the vision of "bridged solutions" in the field of multi-purpose escort ships. Another argument for such a forecast is the possible involvement of the Polish shipbuilding industry in this process, which could also be the flywheel of this sector of the national economy in the field of high technology and the most reasonable public funds spent in the framework of the correction of the economic downturn associated with COVID-19.

Shipyard Portal It will therefore try to approximate the options for the selection of modern frigates available on the European market, assuming that they should be medium-sized units capable of defending themselves against all kinds of threats at sea. The intention of these publications will be to assess which available projects can provide Poland with the capacity of zoned air defense, while analysing costs and possibilities of industrial cooperation.

Among many potential bidders, one of the most underestimated in Poland, is the Spanish Navantia. Meanwhile, the history and development of the Iberian Peninsula Group is an excellent example of how political will, supported by the consistency and constancy of the adopted objective (which was to create its own capabilities in the field of construction of modern ships in Spain) made a revolutionary change in the shipbuilding industry in 40 years.

Spain, a country with a population potential similar to Poland, during this period from the importer of basic class ships (submarine ships of French types) Daphne and Agosta, license frigate types Knox and O. H. Perry, landing ships) became self-sufficient in this area. Building for your own fleet of ships own projects such as: frigates F100, F110, aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias, submarines S80+, patrolmen, landing ships Juan Carlos I is Galicia, and smaller ships (ships) BAM or mine destroyers Segura), allowed Spain to build a strong shipbuilding industry. Today, the industry is able to supply ships for export, competing and defeating existing tycoons.

The success of the Spanish industry as it was: delivery of Norwegian frigates (type Fridtjof Nansen) construction of Australian destroyers Hobart and landing ships Canberra according to Spanish projects and with their support, the construction of a Thai light aircraft carrier Chakri Naruebet (the only ship of this class in history, designed and built for export, apart from escort carriers of the time of World War II), providing Venezuela with type corvettes Avante 1400 and Avante 2200, the selection of Navantii as a supplier of new Australian type suppliers Supply, participation in contracts for the supply of a type of OP Scorpene for Malaysia and Chile, and the contract concluded for the supply of Corvettes (light frigates) Alpha 3000 for Saudi Arabia, identify the potential of this producer. The Navantii offer described above is now supplemented by a new project Alpha 4000, filling the gap between series corvettes Avante and frigates of type Fridtjof Nansen.

It is worth noting that Navntia is today a company controlled by the Spanish Government, created by the merger of the private shipyards of Astilleros Españoles SA with the state-owned Empresa Nacional Bazán, which in 2000 formed the holding company IZAR, then converted into 2005 Navantia. This company is a manufacturer of many ship components such as ship control and management systems, combat management systems, command systems and propulsion systems. What is very important and worthy of emphasis is about 10% of its revenue one for research and development of new technologies. In addition, this company provides technical support and repairs to the units and systems supplied.

Type frigate Alpha 4000, proposed by the Spanish in the programme "The Sword" (and potential customers from South America and Southeast Asia), is a ship with very good marine properties, which can be equipped with strong and modern combat systems, highly automated, with a high survival rate on the modern battlefield, resistant to damage, capable of carrying a medium sea helicopter, having hangars with space for mission modules and a high standard of crew spaces.

Using proven hydrodynamic models and modular design Alpha 4000 to draw on experience gained from previous projects. The use of proven technologies is intended to lead to high reliability and structural resilience. In addition, the ship is designed to be easily adapted to the requirements of specific users. The use of digital technologies to support the decision of operators and commanders is intended to allow them to operate optimally. The built-in algorithms for assessing and controlling on-board systems are intended to provide cost and service optimization.

Photo. Navantia

Basic technical and tactical data of the frigate type Alpha 4000 are as follows:

• length 120 m.;
• width 17 m;
• buoyancy of 4500 tonnes;
• maximum speed exceeding 27 knots;
• range exceeding 5000 nautical miles;
• the drive in the CODAD or CODLAD system;
• crew of 150-170 people depending on the mission;

The combat command system of the frigate shall be characterized by:

• the ability to conduct air combat, water combat and underwater combat;
• the ability to adapt to the requirements of the buyer including specialization in selected aspects;
• innovative design to reduce maintenance and personnel costs;
• allow for effective use in difficult environmental conditions, without dependence on logistical support, with incomplete or not fully trained crew, etc.,
• high reliability, ease of operation and maintenance of technical performance, electromagnetic compatibility, uncomplicated design;
• high resistance to combat damage resulting from the ability to reconfigure subsystems and replace some damaged by other efficient, adapted to this already at the time of design;
• use of standard technical solutions.

The Alfa 4000 combat frigate command system is intended to enable independent operations or teams to:

• air combat;
• Underwater combat;
• water combat;
• rocket strikes;
• landing operations;
• command and control of forces in maritime activities;
• identification and cybersecurity;
• radio-electronic combat;
• mine fighting;
• non-military operations.

The features and functions described above are to have a system based on the known SCOMBA system used on frigate types F100 and F105, in addition, using the solutions used on ships of the wide range Avante frigates currently built F110. It is intended to use, among others, 6 universal multi-function consoles, video data transmission system, 2 large panoramic displays, 2 tactical servers and digital data link.

The set of sensors of the new frigate is to contain:

• a three-ordinated aerial and water observation radio-location station;
• a two-coordinated aerial and water observation radiolocation station;
• two navigation radars of the X and S bands;
• Radiolocation-electrooptic fire control system;
• an electrooptic fire control system;
• the identification system of the ‘ alien’;
• radio-electronic combat system;
• hull hydrolocation station:
• towed hydrolocation station;
• Unmanned flying vessel.

The arms set intended for frigates shall consist of:

• 2 quadruple anti-ship missiles;
• 16 VLS vertical container launcher for anti-aircraft missiles;
• 76 mm caliber cannon;
• the artillery direct defence system;
• 2 20 mm cannons;
• 2 wkm of 12.7 mm;
• 2 disruptive missiles;
• 2 triple torpedo launchers;
• the average marine multi-purpose helicopter;
• two RHIB intervention boats.

Assessment of frigate type Alpha 4000 is hampered by the lack of units of this type in the service of world fleets. Currently, ships of this type are offered, among others, Peru and Colombia, but have not yet been selected by anyone. However, Renoma and the manufacturer's experience allow us to assume that when they are built, they will be ships that are reliable and without problems "child age" due to the use of proven components and systems integrating them.

The tactical-technical characteristics presented by them are quite typical of the group of escort frigates, multi-stakeholder frigates, commonly referred to as "fleet working horses". Their combat potential will allow them to replace popular frigates constructed in the Cold War (O. H. Perry, Kortenaer, Type 22, Type 23, MEKO 200). These are well-balanced universal escorts that do not aspire to perform the functions offered by other, larger and more expensive frigates from Navantii's portfolio, such as types F100 is F310.

In view of the apparent assumption of maintaining lower costs of acquisition and use of frigates Alpha 4000 they do not offer capacity to provide zoned air defence or recently popular non-military capabilities such as humanitarian support. Of course, the manufacturer offers to adapt the ship to the requirements of the customer, which would have to be done either by reducing certain systems or by increasing the unit by several hundred tons, i.e. to the size of the frigate F310…

When assessing frigates of this type, in the aspect of the Polish programme "The Sword" and taking into account Navantia's experience, it can be considered that if it moves towards replacing existing frigates with their modern equivalent, Alfa 4000 will have a good chance. However, if we were to follow the Spanish route (which replaces its frigates with larger anti-aircraft frigates) and seek to acquire ships capable of: transferring a radio-location system providing zone anti-aircraft and anti-missile defences, using medium-range anti-aircraft missiles of the type SM-2MR Block III, having more anti-aircraft missiles to withstand saturate attack, carrying and using already purchased AW101 Merlin helicopters (maybe in the future in the AEW variant) and having great capabilities in the area of the so-called "soft impact" on safety at sea by participating in non-military operations, the Alpha 4000 will, however, be inadequate to these requirements. In the latter case, however, Poland would probably receive a proposal to buy one of its "big cousins".

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